Treating machine for opening hinged closure members on containers



E. ALMGREN TREATING MACHINE FOR OPENING HINGED CLOSURE May 20, 1947.

MEMBERS ON CONTAINERS 5 SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 19, 1944 an L9. M 1V.

May 20, 1947. ALMGREN 2,420,642

TREATING MACHINE FOR OPENING HINGED CLOSURE MEMBERS 0N CONTAINERS FiledJuly 19, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Ig

May 20, 1947. LM 2,420,642

' TREATING MACHINE FOR OPENING HINGED CLOSURE MEMBERS ON CONTAINERSFiled July 19, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. :2 C

mm m. 608 w r May-20, 1947. ALMGREN 2,420,642

TREATING MACHINE FOR OPENING HINGED CLOSURE MEMBERS ON CONTAINERS FiledJuly 19, 1944 5 Sheets- Sheet 4 IZVVENTOR. /a.e.4 AL i27 May 20, 1947. VALMGREN 2,420,642

TREATING MACHINE FOR OPENING HINGED CLOSURE MEMBERS ON CONTAINERS FiledJuly 19, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 33 U2 I j I ,7

f INVENTOR. I j! Sam 40.

Patented May 20, 1947 TREATING MACHINE FOR OPENING HINGED CLOSUREMEMBERS ON CONTAINERS August E. Almgren, Hillside, N. .I., assignor toAmerican Can Company, corporation of New Jersey New York, N. Y., 2.

Application July 19, 1944, Serial No. 545,703

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a container treating machine and hasparticular reference to devices fro opening a sealed container having anattached hinge closure element, by swinging the container on its closurehinge while it is being advanced along a path of travel to uncover thefilling opening.

The instant invention contemplates a step in the presentation andtreatment of sterile or germ free hermetically sealed single servicefibre containers which have been produced at a fibre can manufacturingplant and which "remain in sterile condition as sealed empty cans untilthey are opened andwithout fear of contamination, irrespective ofsubsequent handling, shipping to a dairy or customers plant and storageat such plants. 7

An object of the present invention is the provision of a containertreating machine for preparing sterilely closed but empty milkcontainers or the like for filling, by shifting the containers from ahorizontal to a vertical position While advancing them through acircular path of travel to the filling machine and simultaneouslyunsealing the containers by uncovering the filling openings.

Another object is the provision of such a can treating machine adaptedto open empty fibre milk containers or the like which are in closed orsealed condition when received within the machine, by confining thecontainers in an advancing member having a, pluralit of suction cupswhich engage hinged closure elements of the containers and which holdthem while the container are swung on their hinged connection away fromthe closure elements to upright the containers during this advancementand simultaneously to unseal the containers by uncovering the fillinopenings.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a container treating machine embodyingthe present invention with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig; 1 with partsbroken away and with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the brokenlines 4-4 in Fig. 3

with parts broken away and with parts in section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a suction valve showing in plana sealed container disposed in a can carrier prior to being shiftedendwise against the suction valve, the container and can carrier beingindicated by dot and dash lines;

Fig. 6 is anenlarged fragmentary vertical sectional detail 'drawn to thesame scale as Fig. 5, showing an opened container in vertical positionwithin its can carrier; and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts of the suctionvalve in another position together with additional parts of themechanism illustrated in Fig. 6.

As a preferred embodiment of the present invention the drawingsillustrate a container treating machine for preparing sterilely closedbut empty fibre milk containers or the like for subsequent filling. Sucha container is designated herein by the letter A and may be of the typedescribed fully in the United States Patent 2,085,979, issued July 6,1937, to John M. Hothersall, on Container.

The instant machine includes devices for swinging the containers whilethey are being adv vanced through a circular path of travel andsimultaneously unsealing individual containers by unseating a hinge plugor closure element B from a filling opening C out in a top end D of thecontainer (Fig. '7). For this purpose the hinge plug or closure elementB is held, while the container A is being advanced and simultaneouslythe container is swung down from its horizontal position into a verticalposition where it is in an unsealed condition.

The containers A are fed into the present machine from a magazine ll(Fig. 4). These containers are in horizontal position with each hingeplug B at an upper left corner E. Magazine ll comprises a plurality ofstack rails I2 supported on a machine main frame I3, one end of eachrail being secured to the frame. The containers are delivered from themagazine while still resting on one side wall, such a wall beingdesignated by the letter F.

Individual containers A are separated from the magazine H by a feed-instarwheel M which has a plurality of pockets l5, four being shown. Sucha starwheel comprises spaced discs which engage the body of eachcontainer near its opposite ends. starwheel l 5 is mounted on ahorizontal shaft l6 journaled in a hearing I! of the main frame. Thestarwheel is rotated in proper time with other receiving pockets 65.

3 parts of the machine by a gear I 8 mounted on the shaft l8 (Figs. 1and 2).

The gear I8 is driven by a drive gear 22 mounted on a horizontal shaft23 journaled in a bearing 24 in the main frame. Shaft 23 carries a gear25 which receives rotation from a pinion gear 25 mountedon a :stub shaft'2'! ma bearing 28 of the main frame. An intermediategear 32 mounted ona horizontal shaft 33 also meshes with the pinion gear 26 and is drivenby a gear 84 mounted on a horizontal shaft 35. Shafts 33, 35 ar mountedin bearings 36, 31 of the main frame.

The shaft 35 (Fig. 3) also carries a bevel gear 38 which is driven by abevel gear 42 mounted near the lower end of a vertical shaft 43journaled in a bearing 44 of the main frame. Shaft 43 also carries aspur gear 45 which meshes with and is driven from a spur gear 46 mountedon the lower end of a vertical shaft 41. Shaft 41 is journaled in abearing 48 formed in .a side frame 152 connected with the main frame.Gear 455 is driven by a .main drive gear 53 :in any suitable manner.

As the individual containers .A are separated by the starwheel I4, each:container A enters 'one of the starwheel pockets .and .is fed in a:counter-clockwise path, as viewed in Fig. 4. The separated containerpasses duringithis feeding action between spaced concentric guides62,1'6'3 mounted on the main frame.

A feed turret B4 is mounted on :the "horizontal shaft 23 to the left ofthe starwheel 14. This feed turret .is formed with V-shaped containerTurret 134 like the starwheel [4 is formed of spaced discs. .The turretdiscs are-outside of the path of travel-of the starwheel discs, asviewed in Fig. :3. This provides for easy transfer of the individualcontainers from an arm of the starwheelinto a pocket of the turret.

There are two spaced guides 6'2 which are at the top-of the path oftravel of a container while in the starwheel 14. There ar also .twospaced guides ($3 for the lower pass of the containers in the starwheeland these extend down in lower sections which are concentric to theturret .aXi-s. These extended guide sections retain .the containers inthe turret pockets 65 as they .aremoved by the turret in a clockwisedirection (as viewed in Fig. 4)

When a container A is brought into a position at the bottom of theturret -'(indicated by the letter G, Fig. 4) it is ready for theswinging movement from the horizontal to the vertical position whileadvancing through va circular path of travel. Preparatory to such traveland :in fact while approaching the position G the container :un-dergoesa slight longitudinal shifting within the pocket of the turret 4 at thesame time the container is coming intoa can carrier H, Fig. 2. Thislongitudinal shifting is for the purpose :01? bringing the closureelement 13 of the container into .a held position within the cancarrier. This can carrier will be described in some detail hereinafter.

The devices for shifting the containers longitudina'lly will first :bementioned. These devices (designated by the numeral II) are carried inthe turret gear '25, there being .a separate device for each pocket ofthe turret '64. .Each shifting device includes a shifting pin 12 (Fig..3 which is slida'ble .endwise, a head :of .-.th'e,'pin engaging againsta spring 3 disposed in a shouldered sleeve N mounted in an opening :15cut through the gear 25. The sleeve is secured in position with itsshoulder against the inner face of the gear by a perforate screw capelement 16 clamping against the outer face of the gear. The pin 12 has arounded inner end which extends inwardly of the machine through anopening in the end of the sleeve. Thispin presses against the adjacent'bottom'end of the container A carried in the associated turret pocket.The opposite end of this pin has a slotted forked portion where itextends into the perforated cap element. A roller 7-! located in theslotted fork loosely rotates on an axis pin extending across the slot.

Each shifting device H is cam actuated. When a particular shiftingdevice with its associated container approaches the position G (Figs. 1,3 and 4) in the rotation of the turret 64, the roller 11 engages againstand rides along a stationary cam segment 58 which is secured to the mainframe of the machine. This moves the pin l2 longitudinally against thecontainer A and shifts the latter to the right (as viewed in Fig. 3).

Thecan carrier H (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and '6) comprises e, .horizontallyrotatable turret-like member 82 having a plurality of swinging containerreceiving cradles 83. Five cradles are shown in the drawings and eachcradle is formed with spaced V-shaped prongs 84. Each cradle is hingedlyconnected with the turret member as at 85. A more detailed descriptionof the cradle parts as well as thezmechanism for swinging the cradlewill be given later in this specification.

The turret member 82 rotates on a stationary vertical shaft 85 held in abearing 8'! formed as an integral part of a housing 88. This housing issecured to a pedestal 89 of the main frame. The turret member is rotatedin a counter-clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2)'by a gear 9|mounted on a hub sectionof the turret member. Gear 9| meshes with and isoperated by an elongated 'pinion 92 which has free rotation on avertical shaft '93 which is anchored in the housing :88. Pinion'92'issufiiciently long to also mesh with a drive gear 95 mounted on theupper end of the shaft 41, this drive .gear being below the gear 9|.

One of the swinging cradles 83 of the cancerrier H comes into positionto receive a container A as it moves into the position G. Furthermorethe container A is in its turret pocket 65 and is shiftinglongitudinally under the action of the shifting pin 12.

The container A is shifted by the pin 12 in order to bring its sealedhinge closure element B into contact with a suction valve J (Figs. .2, 3and 5) also carried on the turret member 82. It should be stated at thistime that the container travel under the action of the starwheel l4 andthe turret 64 has brought the closure element 13 of the container whenin the position G just As the container shifts longitudinally toward thesuction cup, it also engages and moves a valve pin I03 which projectsslightly .in advance of the face of the suction cup. This opens thevalve J and makes a vacuum effective at the suction cup 91. In otherwords, the cup holds on to the closure element B.

In this valve opening operation a transverse bore I04 extending throughthe pin I03 connects a port I05 with a port or passageway I06, bothformed in the valve body 96. Port I05 cuts across and connects withaligned ports I01, I08, the former being in the valve body and port I08extending centrally of the hollow screw 90 and opening out in thesuction cup.

Figure 5 shows the position of the transverse bore I04 relative to theport and passageway when the valve is closed and Fig. '1 shows the openvalve after the valve pin I03 has been moved as just described.

A slot H2 is provided in the pin I03 and an edge of the disc I02 extendsinto the slot. This prevents the pin I03 from turnin in the body member96 and keeps its bore I04 in proper position for alignment with theports I05, I06 as the pin opens the valve. An insert member H3 securedin the housing 66 (Fig. 3) serves as a limit stop for the pin I03 in itsvalve opening position.

Each of the passageways I06 (Figs. 2 and 3), there being five for thefive suction valves J, eX- tends into the upper part of the rotatableturret member 82 and terminates in an annular groove II4 cut in the topof the turret member. This groove is closed off at the top by the lowerslide face of a stationary housing cap II5. This cap is mounted on theupper end of the stationary shaft 86 and thus provides an upper airtight joint for the rotating turret member. An annular gasket I I6interposed between the stationary cap and'the turret member insuresagainst leakage. A removable cover I I1 seated on the cap extends downaround the gasket.

The groove II4 functions as a collecting manifold for all of thepassageway I06 and normally is under vacuum. To provide for thiscondition a right angled passage or port II8 terminates at its lower endin the lower face of the cap II5 where it is in constant communicationwith the groove H4. The upper arm of the passage extends to apositionabove the stationary shaft 86. The top end of a central bore H9 intheupper part of the stationary shaft opens out into this passage. A vacuumpipe I2I which leads from a suitable source of vacuum K passes throughan opening I22 cut in the bearing 81 and is threaded in the shaft thusproviding for communication with the lower end of the central bore I I0.

In this manner a vacuum is maintained on the groove H4 and therefore onthe several passageways !06 of the suction valves J for normal operationof the machine. There are times, however, when the machine may be shutdown or it may be desirable to breakthe vacuum while the machinecontinues to operate. At such a time a release cock I 220. connected inthe passages I "3 of the cap H5, is opened to atmosphere. This releasecock being on the top of the machine and inside" the cover H1 isaccessible only after the. cover is removed.

With a container A resting within its prong seat 84 of the rotatingturret member 82 and with it closure element B held against the suctioncup 91, transfer from the turret 64 is completed as the container passesthe position G, heretofore fully discussed. For over 180 degrees oftravel with the turret member 02, the swinging cradle 83 moves thecontainer from its horizontal position into its vertical position. Twoelements cooperate to produce this result, first the cradle is swungdownon its hinged connection and secondly stationary guide railssurrounding the turret member keep the container within its cradlepocket and assist in its change of position. These will now be describedin order.

The turret member 82, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is formed as adomed shell-like cylindrical structure, the wall of the shell beingspaced outside of and rotating around the cylindrical housing 88. Theouter surface of this structure is smooth but at the bottom it mergesdownwardly and outwardly into the various connections 85 for the hingedcradles 03. The connection for each cradle takes the form of an inclinedshelf section I25 at the ends of which are spaced lugs I26. Each lug isenlarged in a bearing I21.

Each hinged cradle 83 has an arm of its V- shaped prong 84 extended oneach side into a hinge boss I26 (Figs. 3 and '1) and the two bosses comein between and align with the spaced bearings I21. Hinge studs I29 areheld in each bearing of a cradle unit and project into an opening in theadjacent cradle boss. These two aligned studs provide a hinge pintleconstruction for each cradle connection 85.

The swinging of each cradle 03 from its horizontal can receivingposition into its vertical position is brought about'through cam action.On

the same end with the spaced hinge bosses I28,

the forked prong of a cradle carries a cam roller I 3| (Fig. 6) whichduring the rotation of the turret member traverses a cam track I32 of astationary cam I33.

Cam I33 is circular, having an undulating formv and being mounted on thehousing 88 (Figs. 3 and 6). The cam track I32 adjacent the position Gwhere the container A is received into the swinging cradle 83 ishorizontal as best shown in Fig. 3. The cam track degrees distant, as inFig. 6, is vertical, this alteration in shape obviously being necessaryfor the work to be done. In traversing the 180 degrees of traveltherefore the cradle 83 with its container is swung on its hinge pintleI29 (Fig. 1) from horizontal into vertical positions.

The stationary guide rails previously mentioned for keeping thecontainers in their cradle pockets while assisting in their change ofposi-- tions comprise top, side and bottom rails these being shown forthe most part as round bars. A container coming into position G passesunder two branches I35, I36 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) of what may be termed atop rail I31. This top rail in the transfer position G is hung by a lugI38 to a right angled support bar I40 (see also Fig. l) which is boltedat I tI to the machine frame I3. At the other end, top rail I31 may besupported in any suitable manner not shown on frame posts of themachine. This top rail upon leaving station G curves around in acircular path, best shown in Fig. 2, but the rail changes in itsfunction from a top rail to a side rail as the container shifts itsposition.

Again referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that the supportbar M0 is extended downwardly and toward the front of the machine as asupport bar I45 which joins with a vertical support bar I46 mounted on aboss I4! of the side frame 52. A connecting tie bar I40 joins thesupport bar I 55 with the bar I40. This construction provides for arigid support for all of 7 the guide rails, It will be observed that thetop rail I3! is held at M9 on the support bar I46.

Considering the moving of a container into the. position G (Fig. 4) itpasses alongside of a side rail l5l which is secured by a lug I52 to thetie bar Hi8. This rail also curves around the turret member 82 and asthe container moves from a horizontal to a vertical position, thefunction of the rail changes so that as the container approaches itsvertical position the rail becomes a bottom or support rail. The end ofthe rail may be supported as required, this feature bein omitted in thedrawings.

An intermediate rail I53 is also used as a side rail and is locatedbelow the rail I31. It is secured to the support bar I46 at one end andthen extends parallel to rail I31. Other suitable sup ports for the railwill be provided as required. An inner side rail l'54 (Fig. 2) securedto the frame in any suitable manner may be used to strip the containersfrom the turret member 83 and guide them to a suitable place of deposit.

After a container A has been brought into its vertical position, itsclosure member B, which is then in open position, is released by thesuction cup 91 preparatory to the container being discharged from themachine. This release is brought about by a shifting of the valve pinI83 so that vacuum on the suction cup is broken.

As a container cradle 83 reaches the position L (Figs. 2 and '7) itsvalve pin 33 passes the beginning of a cam track segment I55 bolted tothe housing 83 (see also Fig. 6). It will be recalled that the valve pinextends out from the suction cup body 96. This cam track flares out asshown in Fig. '7 so that the end of the valve pin rides along the edgeof the cam segment and is pushed back into the cup body. This moves thevalve bore I64 out of alignment of the ports IE5 and IE6 and thus cutsoff the vacuum connection.

At the same time the port I65 is opened to atmosphere so that theclosure member B is released from the suction cup. The outer end of thevalve pin is flattened as at [5? so that as the pin is pushed back intothe cup body the flattened section passes over the end of the port I05.Air then rushes into the suction cup.

The opened container then continues to a place of discharge and mayenter a filling machine or other suitable mechanism which constitute-sno part of the present invention.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for treating a container having a filling opening and ahinged closure element covering the opening for sealing the container,the combination of a turret member for transferring a sealed containerto a place of deposit, a suction cup carried on said turret member forengaging and holding an individual closure element while the containeris being transferred, and means partially encircling said turret memberfor swinging the container on its closure hinge while said hingedclosure element is held by said suction cup, to unseal th container byuncovering the filling opening.

2. In a machine for treating containers having a filling opening and ahinged closure element covering the opening for sealing the containerwhile the latter is advanced along a curved path of travel and swungfrom one position to another position, the combination of a turretmember for receiving sealed containers in one position and fordelivering them unsealed in another position, suction cups carried onsaid turret member for respectively engaging and holding each individualclosure element while its associated container is being advanced, andmeans partially encircling said turret member for swinging thecontainers on their closure hinges while said hinged closure elementsare engaged and held by said suction cups, to unseal the containers bythus uncovering the filling openings.

3. In a machine for treating containers havin a filling opening and ahinged closure element covering the opening for sealing the container,the combination of a turret member for transferring sealed containers toa place of deposit, can carriers pivotally carried on said turret memberfor supporting the containers during their transfer, suction cupscarried on said turret member for individually engaging and holding asaid closure element while a said container is being supported and isbeing transferred in a said carrier, and means partially encircling saidturret member for swinging the containers on their closure hinges whilea said hinged closure element is engaged and held by its associatedsuction cup, to thus unseal the containers by uncovering the fillingopenings.

4. In a machine for treating containers having a filling opening and ahinged closure element covering the opening for sealing the container,the combination of a turret member for transferring sealed containers toa place of deposit, can carriers pivotally carried on said turret memberfor supporting the containers during their transfer, means for shiftingthe containers endwise toward the turret member when being placed intheir respective carriers, suction cups carried on said turret memberfor respectively engaging and holding an individual closure elementwhile a said container is being supported and is being transferred in asaid carrier, and means partially encircling said turret member forswinging the containers on their closure hinges while said hingedclosure elements are engaged and held by said suction cups, to unsealthe containers by exposing the filling openings.

5. In a machine for treating containers having a filling opening and ahinged closure element covering the opening for sealing the container,the combination of a turret member for transferring sealed containers toa place of deposit, a plurality of carriers pivotally carried on saidturret member for supporting the containers, a cam track surrounding theturret member for defining the path of travel of the carriers whensupporting and transferring the containers, a plurality of suction cupscarried on said turret member for respectively engaging and holding anindividual closure element while a said container is being transferredin its carrier, and guide rails partially encircling said turret memberfor holding the containers in their respective moving carriers and forassisting in swinging the containers on their closure hinges while saidhinged closure elements are engaged and held by said suction cups, tounseal the containers by uncovering the filling openings.

6. In a machine for treating containers having a filling opening and ahinged closure element covering the opening for sealing the container,the combination of a turret member for advancing sealed containers to aplace of deposit, can carriers pivotally mounted on said turret memberrespectively for supporting the containers during their transfer,suction cups carried on said turret member for respectively engaging andholding an individual closure element while a said container is beingtransferred in a said carrier, a suction valve in said turret member foreach suction cup and operable to connect a source of vacuum with itsassociated cup to hold the closure element while the container isdisposed in said carrier, and means partially encircling said turretmember and cooperating with said carrier for swinging the containers ontheir closure hinges while said hinged closure elements are respectivelyengaged and held by their associated suction cups, to unseal thecontainers by uncovering the filling openings.

7. In a machine for treating containers each having a filling openingand a hinged closure element covering the opening for sealing thecontainers While the latter are advanced along a curved path of traveland simultaneously swung from a horizontal position to a verticalposition, the combination of a turret member for transferring sealedcontainers along said path of travel, cam carriers pivotally carried onsaid turret member for receiving the containers in a horizontal positionand for delivering them unsealed in a vertical position, suction cupscarried on said turret member for engaging and holding an individualclosure element while the container is being advanced, suction valves insaid turret member and operable each with a said suction cup, a movablepin in each of said valves engageable with a horizontal container whenit is positioned in a said carrier to engage said container with andopen the valve for connecting a source of vacuum with its associatedsuction cup, guide rails partially encircling said turret member andcooperating with said carrier for swinging the containers on theirclosure hinges into vertical position while said hinged closure elementsare respectively engaged and held by their associated suction cups, tounseal the containers by exposing their filling openings, and means formoving said valve pins to close the valve-s to thereby release theclosure elements of the unsealed containers.

AUGUST E. ALMGREN;

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hothersall et a1. June2, 1942 Number

